Legal Services Bill [HL]

I am most grateful to the noble Baroness. She will be aware from the previous five sittings that one of the principal concerns on these Benches, and I think also on the Liberal Democrat Benches, is to ensure that the Legal Services Board’s role is consistent with the philosophy laid down by the committee chaired by Sir David Clementi. The Legal Services Board is a supervisor. It is not in itself, at least directly, a regulator of the conduct of solicitors, barristers and other professions covered by the Bill. The amendment, in addition to achieving the other objectives which I set out, would be a further bulwark against the Legal Services Board seeking to trespass beyond that supervisory role. I am delighted that the noble Baroness is sensitive to our concerns. In those circumstances, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendment No. 139FB not moved.] Clauses 158 to 160 agreed to. Clause 161 [Disclosure of restricted information]: